Clearly, the folks at L.A.’s Nodus Watches have a keen eye and remarkable range. It was only last month that I reviewed the Sector Deep, a no-nonsense tool watch with a decidedly industrial aesthetic. Today, I have the Nodus Unity, a small, dressy sports watch, which despite being vastly different than the Deep, is also a brilliantly executed exemplar of its genre.
It’s no secret that men’s watches are getting smaller. When I started collecting watches about 15 years ago, 42mm was the norm. Now, most new releases for men are 40mm and below. We are also getting more variety in color. Nomos kicked those doors down in 2020 with their 38mm Club Campus Pride Watch collection, and the Rolex delivered the same for the country club crowd that year when they whipped out a new palette for the Oyster Perpetual 36. Three years later, small and colorful watches are more abundant, and watchmakers are taking the concept in new directions while blurring the lines between traditional notions of men’s and women’s styles, sensibly marketing them as unisex.
Enter the Nodus Unity. Powered by the smooth (28.8k bph) and slim Miyota 9015 automatic, the watch measures 36.5mm wide, 43.5mm long, and 11.3mm thick to the top of its box crystal. Around the back, you’ll find a solid, screw-down caseback bearing an etched figure-eight ribbon.
It doesn’t take up much space, but the large crown and dial-colored bezel make it appear a bit fuller than you might expect. Both the case and the three-link bracelet are predominantly brushed with just a hint of bright polish on the edges for contrast. Like the brand’s Sector cases, the Unity employs chamfered edges and contrasting finishes to create the illusion of a wafer-slim midcase.
The Unity’s sporty design is not just for looks; the crown screws down to seal it for 150m water resistance. Add to that the anti-reflective coated sapphire crystal, Nodus’s proprietary NodeX clasp, and some Swiss BGW9 SuperLuminova, and it’s clear that the Unity’s got everything you need for outdoor adventure.
That said, I cannot call it a diver’s watch because while it has utility and legibility, it lacks a movable bezel. This is fine; after all, not every sports watch needs to be dive-certified. The Unity’s bezel is all about appearance, and in that regard, it exceeds expectations. The insert is glossy ceramic, color-matched to the dial. That’s pretty tasty in and of itself, and I like the way it creates the illusion of a larger dial, and, by extension, a larger watch, by bringing the color right to the edges.
Speaking of color, Nodus offers the Unity in just two, neither of which is black or white. Instead, we have Blossom Pink and Topaz Blue. I requested pink. Ages ago, when I took my first office job, I remember my boss, a puffy, middle-aged philanderer, snickering at my pink button-down oxford and telling me, “You know, pink is fine for the ladies, but it’s not for men.” At the time, I thought he was just being a dick, and I ignored him. Now, with the benefit of age, wisdom, and decades of professional experience, I reflect on his advice and realize that I was absolutely right; he was a dick. The idea that a man can’t wear a pink tie or dress shirt was absurd then and doubly so today. Besides, I look good in pink. So does this watch.
The Unity’s dial offers more than just a pop of color. Those polished triangular markers are cut away. The surface boasts a roughly textured sunburst that looks intriguingly organic. The date? How about a color-matched disk in a dual-layer trapezoidal window at 6 o’clock? Just look at the way the white inner layer acts like a matte inside the pink beveled outer frame. Oh, and did I mention that the frame is lumed? It isn’t quite bright enough to let you read the date in the dark, but it does eliminate the dead spot that might otherwise result.
Not to be outdone, the Unity’s handset is beveled, polished, and brushed. It is exactly the right length to brush the tips of the hour markers and minutes track. It is a lovely dial made all the more so by the vintage-style dome that protects it.
Nodus ships the Unity with a 20mm bracelet that tapers to 18mm at the clasp. Unlike many three-link designs at this end of the market, each segment is individually articulated for maximum flexibility and comfort. Quick-release pins take the pint out of removal and replacement. If you choose to add a strap, you’ve got drilled lugs to assist with that process as well. Like other Nodus watches, this one utilizes the clever NodeX clasp adjustment. a push-button releases the extension, enabling easy micro adjustment.
I have a 6.75″ wrist, which is probably on the small side for an American man. I found the 36.5mm Nodus Unity to be right in my sweet spot. It has what you might call a vintage fit. Indeed, many of my late 60s-early 70s divers are 37mm wide, although those older pieces tend to feel smaller than the big crown, bold bezel Unity. It’s an easy fit, and one I’d happily pair with a suit if the opportunity were to arise. Mrs. Time Bum, who is no fan of dive watches, tried the Unity for size and, in what may or may not have been a subtle hint, declared that it was something she would like to wear.
While I hope they expand the range with other colors, I applaud their choice to launch with two bold, uncommon, and absolutely gorgeous choices. The Nodus Unity is available now for $700 at noduswatches.com. I think it’s worth every penny. This is a well-thought-out, well-executed watch that will serve you for years to come.
